Requiem in the Darkness
by Jantra
Summary: A pair of boys, just trying to survive the mean streets of New York... until one is taken into the darkness... and the other is left to sing his requiem.


            **Requiem in the Darkness****  
by: Jantra Hokushin  
  
[ Published:** **] **February 22, 2004**  
[ Pairings: ] **- - **  
[ Type: ] **A little OC sort of thing that will be a base for something later.**  
   
[Author Notes:] **_Yes. Holy crap, this has an OC in it. I hope you guys like it… _  
  
**( Thievery**** )******

            He looked up to the sky, eyes that matched the grey skies above clouded over more with the knowledge of coming rain. A faint, sad smirk touched his lips. Perhaps the storm would clear up the thickness in the air, perhaps it would wash his soul clean. Gently he laughed and he twisted his legs to the side, slowly swinging them back and forth. The heels of his sneakers tapped against the cement wall he sat upon and people glared at him as they avoided his small kicks. It wasn't like he cared what they were doing around him, he stared ceaselessly forward. 

            Finally he gave up on his own soul searching and ran a hand through the oddly colored locks atop his head, unknowingly guiding the neon red streaks into crazed patterns throughout the blackness. The boy, a slender youth that looked as if he had not come to the brink of the dreaded teenaged years, was dressed completely in black, with hints of silver to ease the darkness. It was obvious that the faded dark grey sneakers and black jeans had seen some serious street time, but he had the easy yet cautious look of someone who was not new to the life. In fact, as young couples and business paused near him, he scanned them over. Finally he saw a young woman, alone, carrying a bulky purse on his shoulder. The light smirk on his lips deepened and he gracefully pushed off the wall with his hands, dropping the foot or so to the ground in a soundless jump. He waved across the street to no one, stepping backward until he bumped gently into the woman he had been watching. A hand flashed, and he mumbled an apology, keeping his head down. The boy quickly vacated the area and headed for safer ground.

            It wasn't until he arrived in a small, dark alley next to a restaurant that he relaxed, and made the item he had grabbed appear within his fist. Small but dexterous fingers opened the gaudy little golden catch on the large wallet and peered within the tucked pockets. There was a moment of racing heart as his eyes scrutinized the thick wad of money within. Gently he slid a fingertip over the top of the money, mentally calculating how much he had gained. Only the money would he keep for anything else could be traced. The boy shoved the gold and blue wallet as far as it would go into one of the stinking trash cans behind the restaurant and pocketed most of the money into a secret pocket inside the waistband of his heavy jeans. 

            Another look to the sky.

            In less then an hour, it would rain.

            From a deep pocket of his jeans he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slid them over his face, hiding the storm-blue irises behind smoky lenses tinted purple. Fingers slid over his arms and pulled the thin duster tighter. Surely fall was ending, and soon it would be winter. He loved the beauty of winter, with its great swirling patches of ice that looked as delicate as a crystal chandelier and the huge mounds of sugar powder snow, but lately the weather had just been cruel. Cold, biting winds and teases of frostbite at the fingers. 

            Last time the great cold had passed, he had stayed with a young, strange couple who had happily accepted the stray on the grounds he would be a housekeeper. That had sent him for a trip at first, that these strangers would do this for him… until he had found out there were video cameras everywhere in the lush apartment. 

            Quickly he watched the street before ducking through the stream of cars. He had always loved the city, with its varieties of people and the twisting designs of stonework that some of the oldest buildings held. Crumbling great piles of ancient times. Something about their age, about the grandiose beauty… A loud honk broke his train of thought and he flipped off the driver before he sighed and quickly slipped into the hallway of the building he currently resided in. It was dank, disgusting… but it was home. With a tired smile on his lips he walked up the three flights of stairs and pulled the key out of the pocket on the inside of the duster. He undid the lock and slipped within, locking the door behind him. A sigh and he let the duster fall to the floor as he stretched his chilled limbs and did a dive across the tiny closet-like room into a mattress covered in half blankets and one precious sleeping bag. He had been out all day, been out among the dark streets with its people that held darker eyes. 

            With his eyes closed, slowly growing warmer under the blankets, it was almost… nice. Almost. Fingers slowly reached up and clasped gold, feeling his heart beating against the cool metal. It was like a womb in the darkness, since his home had no windows and, tucked up against the major heating duct of the building, was warm but drafty, and the reason he could rent it so cheaply. Everyday he came in from the cold to the impossible warmth, sweated as he slept and woke to a dry mouth, stinging nose, and drips down his forehead… but worth it. It was impossible to find and safe, which is all he cared about. His few meager possessions laid about the room… the crate of clothing, the single stuffed animal he had salvaged from the trash of some insane rich person's home. A little sewing had set to rights the wonderfully soft golden retriever he slept with every night, his arms curled tightly around it. 

            So here he waited, waited for…

            "'Ey, Kage!" That brought him out of his sleep and he sat up, owlishly blinking as he peered across the apartment. From just inside the door, pulling off the cream scarf from his neck… his brother. His only bit of sanity in the world. The boy stretched and gave a true, small smile to his brother and whined gently in his throat, arms opened for a hug. The blonde smiled at the sight and burrowed down into the blankets to wrap his arms around Kage, the pair hugging tightly. 

            "Nnn… Sorry I fell asleep. Ya know what the cold does to me." Kage whispered into one red-tipped shell of ear as he nuzzled it to warm the bit of flesh.

            "No prob'." Came the reply.

            "Got a bit of a good haul today, Kat." Pale fingers latched around a darker wrist and pulled his brother's wrist to his eyes, peering at the time. Six… perfect. "Specially single I have… work today." The word slipped a bit, a faint hesitation. Jou shifted and touched Kage's cheek, peering into those blue eyes. 

            "Ya dun hafta do dis, ya know." The words were full of concern, but Kage reached up and pulled the hand away, sighing.

            "Yea, I do, Jou. We need the money…**he **said it would be safe. You'll be there… it's a one night try. We'll see what happens." They both nodded together and Kage stood, stretching fully. "Summin' ta eat first, though. Then we'll head over there." 

            "You and your stomach…" Jou started, and Kage turned his gaze to his brother, eyes wide as he laughed.

            "That's the pot callin' the black!" Kage grabbed his pillow and whapped Jou on the head with it, which ended up in a tickling match. It ended finally with Jou on his back, completely out of breath, with Kage straddling his chest. Both were still giggling every few moments, a completely innocent moment…

            Which just had to be broken by someone pounding on the door and yelling about the noise. 

            Kage rolled his eyes and nudged his brother. The black haired boy grabbed a slightly heavier jacket from the pile near his crate and slid into it, nervous and excited. Jou was always more leisurely unless he was angered, so Kage nearly went insane in the time it took his brother to scrounge through his stuff, find a jacket that was warmer, and finally nod. An exasperated sigh left the boy and he rolled his eyes, padding out the door after making sure he had his key, leaving Jou to close the door and lock it. The blonde did as he always did and kept close to his younger brother as they headed down the dark streets.


End file.
